Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett & Keith Urban Lead the Pack With Multiple Nominations at the 2017 CMT Music Awards [See Full List]

Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett & Keith Urban Lead the Pack With Multiple Nominations at the 2017 CMT Music Awards [See Full List]

Posted on May 9, 2017

Brett Eldredge stopped by the Today show (May 9) to announced the nominees for the 2017 CMT Music Awards on June 7.

Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban lead the pack with four nominations apiece. Other artists picking up multiple nominations include Brett Eldredge, Lauren Alaina, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Jon Pardi, Florida Georgia Line and more.

Hosted by Charles Esten, the CMT Music Awards will feature performances from Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Brett Eldredge. More performers and presenters will be announced in the coming days.

Fan voting is open now and continues until June 5. The awards show takes place live from Nashville on June 7 at 7 p.m. CT.

Check out all of the nominees below.

Video of the Year

  • “Forever Country” – Artists of Then, Now & Forever
  • “Today” – Brad Paisley
  • “Wanna Be That Song” – Brett Eldredge
  • “Church Bells” – Carrie Underwood,
  • “Middle of a Memory” – Cole Swindell
  • “Different for Girls” – Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King
  • “H.O.L.Y.” – Florida Georgia Line
  • “Dirt on My Boots” – Jon Pardi
  • “Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban
  • “Peter Pan” – Kelsea Ballerini
  • “Better Man” – Little Big Town
  • “Huntin’, Fishin,’ and Lovin’ Every Day” – Luke Bryan
  • “Vice” – Miranda Lamber
  • “Star of the Show” – Thomas Rhett

Female Video of the Year

  • “Church Bells” – Carrie Underwood
  • “Peter Pan” – Kelsea Ballerini
  • “Road Less Traveled” – Lauren Alaina
  • “’80s Mercedes” – Maren Morris
  • “Vice” – Miranda Lambert
  • “Back to God” – Reba McEntire

Male Video of the Year

  • “Came Here to Forget” – Blake Shelton
  • “Record Year” – Eric Church
  • “Lights Come On” – Jason Aldean
  • “Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban
  • “Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day” – Luke Bryan
  • “Star of the Show” – Thomas Rhett

Duo Video of the Year

  • “Lovin’ Lately” – Big & Rich feat. Tim McGraw
  • “21 Summer” – Brothers Osborne
  • “How Not To” – Dan + Shay
  • “H.O.L.Y.” – Florida Georgia Line
  • “I Know Somebody” – LOCASH

Group Video of the Year

  • “Saltwater Gospel” – Eli Young Band
  • “You Look Good” – Lady Antebellum
  • “Better Man” – Little Big Town
  • “Drinkin’ Problem” – Midland
  • “Song For Another Time” – Old Dominion

Breakthrough Video of the Year

  • “In Case You Didn’t Know” – Brett Young
  • “Dirt on My Boots” – Jon Pardi
  • “Used to Love You Sober” – Kane Brown
  • “Road Less Traveled” – Lauren Alaina
  • “Hurricane” – Luke Combs
  • “Love Triangle” – RaeLynn

Collaborative Video of the Year

  • “Forever Country” – Artists Then, Now & Forever
  • “Sober Saturday Night” – Chris Young feat. Vince Gill
  • “Different for Girls” – Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King
  • “May We All” – Florida Georgia Line feat. Tim McGraw
  • “The Fighter” – Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood
  • “Setting the World on Fire” – Kenny Chesney feat. Pink

CMT Performance of the Year

  • “Hicktown” (CMT Concert of the Summer) – Jason Aldean
  • “Want to Want Me” (CMT Crossroads) – Jason Derulo and Luke Bryan
  • “Pink Houses” (CMT Crossroads) – John Mellencamp and Darius Rucker
  • “’80s Mercedes” (CMT Crossroads) – Alicia Keys and Maren Morris
  • “You’re Still the One/Any Man of Mine/Man, I Feel Like a Woman” (CMT Artists of the Year) – Meghan Trainor, Jill Scott and Kelsea Ballerini
  • “Close” (CMT Crossroads) – Nick Jonas and Thomas Rhett

Social Superstar

  • Brett Eldredge
  • Jake Owen
  • Keith Urban
  • Kelsea Ballerini
  • Lauren Alaina
  • Thomas Rhett

photo by Amy Richmond/Sweet Talk Publicity

Watch Blake Shelton Perform “Every Time I Hear That Song” on “The Voice”

Watch Blake Shelton Perform “Every Time I Hear That Song” on “The Voice”

Posted on May 9, 2017

Last night on The Voice (May 8), Blake Shelton took a break from his coaching duties so he could hit the stage to perform his current single, “Every Time I Hear That Song.”

The tune, written by Chris Lindsey, Brad Warren, Brett Warren and Aimee Mayo, is Blake’s fifth single from his 2016 album, If I’m Honest. Currently, “Every Time I Hear That Song” is No. 11 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after 12 weeks.

Watch Blake’s performance below.

Chris Stapleton Teams With Kevin Bacon & Jimmy Fallon for a Remake of ZZ Top’s “Legs” on “The Tonight Show”

Chris Stapleton Teams With Kevin Bacon & Jimmy Fallon for a Remake of ZZ Top’s “Legs” on “The Tonight Show”

Posted on May 9, 2017

Chris Stapleton had a busy night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 8.

In a sketch called “First Drafts of Rock,” Chris teamed with Jimmy and Kevin Bacon (drums) for a remake of ZZ Top’s “Legs,” with more than a few altered lyrics, including “She’s got hands / She knows how to wave them / She’s got eyebrows / She knows how to raise them / She’s got nostrils / She knows how to flare them / She’s got a butt cheek / She’s actually got a pair of them.”

Check out the bit below.

Later in the show, Chris performed his new song, “I Was Wrong,” which is featured on his new album, From A Room: Volume 1.

Watch his performance below.

Jason Aldean and Wife Brittany Are Expecting Their First Child

Jason Aldean and Wife Brittany Are Expecting Their First Child

Posted on May 8, 2017

Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany, have a bun in the oven.

The happy couple announced that they are expecting their first child together in a pair of Instagram posts today (May 8). On Jason’s Instagram pic, Brittany and Jason were literally sitting next to a bun in the oven, with a caption that read: “Been hard to keep this secret but we couldnt be happier to add to our family. This year just gets better and better. #bunintheovenđŸ‘¶đŸŒ”

On Brittany’s Instagram page, she posted a pic of Jason with his hand on her stomach that read: “SURPRISE!!! WE ARE PREGNANT!!! This was the hardest secret we’ve ever had to keep 🙈 This journey for us has been full of many happy times & also many tears… The biggest rollercoaster we have ever been on, without a doubt! All of the moments of heartache were followed by the biggest blessing in the entire world!! We will never take one moment for granted & can’t wait to meet you, sweet baby!!! đŸ‘¶đŸŒđŸ’›”

In February, Jason told NCD that extending his family was something he wanted to do.

“It’s definitely something we’ve talked about and something we want to do,” Jason told NASH Prep. “And, I think that’s just kinda like whenever it’s meant to be, it’s just gonna happen. You know, I’d like to say it’s gonna happen next week, but that’s just kind of—that’s a little up in the air there. But, I’m definitely—we’re down for that 100 percent, and, you know, we’ll see whenever that time comes.”

Jason, already a father of two young daughters—Keeley (13) and Kendyl (8)—from a previous marriage, married Brittany in 2015 during a beach ceremony in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The couple celebrated their two year anniversary on March 21, 2017.

Congrats to the happy couple.

Main image via Brittany Aldean’s Instagram page

2017 SEC Softball Tournament Central

2017 SEC Softball Tournament Central

Posted on May 8, 2017
Sherri Parker Lee Stadium / Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 9 Tennessee begins postseason play this week in the SEC Tournament, which will be hosted by the Vols at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. For all your information on the tournament, please visit the SEC Tournament Gameday Information page HERE.

The Big Orange have secured a first-round bye and will begin their quest for a third SEC Tournament championship on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of No. 6 LSU and No. 11 Missouri, who will square off on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.The tournament is a single-elimination format with the winner securing the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Media & Broadcast Info

All 11 games of this year’s SEC Tournament will be aired lived on the ESPN family of networks. Wednesday’s first-round games and Thursday’s quarterfinal games will be carried on the SEC Network, while Friday’s semifinals will be broadcast on ESPNU and Saturday’s title game will air in primetime on ESPN.

For Wednesday and Thursday’s day sessions Adam Amin (PxP), Amanda Scarborough (Analyst) and Laura Rutledge (Field) will be on the call. The night sessions on those days will feature the broadcast trio of Beth Mowins (PxP), Michele Smith (Analyst) and Holly Rowe (Field). Scarborough will join that trio as they call both semifinal games on Friday as well as Saturday’s championship game on ESPN.

Radio coverage for any Tennessee games will be carried on Sports Radio WNML (FM 99.1 or AM 990) and UTSports.com. There will also be radio coverage for all 11 games by IMG Radio on one of the following channels: Sirius 137 / XM 190 or Sirius XM Channel 84 College Sports Nation.

Live stats for all 11 games will be available on the softball schedule page at UTSports.com HERE.

Tournament Schedule

View the full tournament schedule below:

Wednesday

Game 1 | #5 Alabama vs. #12 Arkansas | 12 p.m. ET| TV: SEC Network

Game 2 | #8 Ole Miss vs. #9 Mississippi State | 2:30 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network

Game 3 | #7 Kentucky vs. #10 South Carolina | 5 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network

Game 4 | #6 LSU vs. #11 Missouri | 7:30 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network

Thursday

Game 5 | #4 Texas A&M vs. Game 1 Winner | 12 p.m. ET| TV: SEC Network

Game 6 | #1 Florida vs. Game 2 Winner | 2:30 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network

Game 7 | #2 Auburn vs. Game 3 Winner | 5 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network

Game 8 | #3 Tennessee vs. Game 4 Winner | 7:30 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network

Friday

Game 9 | Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner | 3 p.m. ET| TV: ESPNU

Game 10 |Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner | 5:30 p.m. ET | TV: ESPNU

Saturday

Game 11 |Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner | 8 p.m. ET| TV: ESPN

Need to Know

For the second consecutive season, the Vols have secured a first-round bye and enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed. UT will be looking to win its third SEC Tournament in program history after taking home the title in 2006 and 2011. This is the second time that the SEC Tournament will be hosted in Knoxville and the first time since 2009.

Weekend Lookback

The Vols are coming off a big road series win over then No. 6 Texas A&M to jump from the No. 4 to the No. 3 seed. UT road its hot bats to two consecutive victories over the Aggies after dropping the series opener on Friday night. The Big Orange broke out for eight runs in each of Saturday and Sunday’s wins, giving them three victories over top-10 opponents in the span of seven days.

Vols in the SEC Tournament

UT has had great success in the SEC Tournament throughout the years. The Vols have won two tournament championships (2006 & 2011) and boast the third best record in the SEC Tournament among conference schools with a 26-21 all-time record. LSU has the best record at 40-20, followed by Alabama at 36-23. The Orange and White have advanced to the semifinals the past two years and went all the way to the final in 2015 before falling to Auburn in extra innings. Tennessee’s senior class is 4-3 in the SEC Tournament.

Fan Information/Stadium Policies

Please be advised that the university’s clear bag policy for all of its athletic venues will be in effect for the SEC Tournament and every other event at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. In order to enhance safety and expedite fan entry at Tennessee athletic events, the university is implementing new safety policies for fans bringing bags into all athletic venues.

Only one clear plastic bag no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches or a one-gallon, clear, resealable plastic storage bag per person will be permitted. Fans will also be allowed a small clutch purse not to exceed 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches. Fans interested in purchasing an approved clear bag may visit the Official Team Store at Neyland Stadium, VolShop locations in the Student Union, 17th & Cumberland Avenue and University Commons; as well as other area retailers.

For more information on the new bag policy and all other stadium policies please visit the SEC Tournament Gameday Information page HERE.

What’s Next?

The Vols will wait to see their seeding for the NCAA Tournament, which will be revealed on Sunday night’s NCAA Selection Show at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2. UT is likely to be a top-16 seed and host an NCAA Regional for the 13th straight season.

-UT Athletics

 

Willie Nelson Is Back Atop Billboard’s Country Albums Chart With “God’s Problem Child”

Willie Nelson Is Back Atop Billboard’s Country Albums Chart With “God’s Problem Child”

Posted on May 8, 2017

If Willie Nelson’s 84th birthday wish was to have another No. 1 album, he got it.

Willie dropped his new album, God’s Problem Child, on April 28, the eve of his 84th birthday. One week later, God’s Problem Child is the No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and No. 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200, selling 36,000 equivalent albums according to Nielsen Music.

Not bad for a guy who’s “Still Not Dead.”

The new 13-song offering—seven of which were co-penned by Willie and producer Buddy Cannon—is Willie’s first solo album of all new songs since 2014’s Band of Brothers, which also reached No. 1.

Over the last few years, Willie has been especially active in the studio, recording a duet album with Merle Haggard—Django and Jimmie—in 2015, as well as tribute albums to George Gershwin and Ray Price in 2016. The former, Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin, won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

God’s Problem Child Track Listing & Songwriters

  1. “Little House On The Hill” (Lyndel Rhodes)
  2. “Old Timer” (Donnie Fritz / Lenny LeBlanc)
  3. “True Love” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
  4. “Delete And Fast Forward” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
  5. “A Woman’s Love” (Mike Reid / Sam Hunter)
  6. “Your Memory Has A Mind Of Its Own” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
  7. “Butterfly” (Sonny Throckmorton / Mark Sherrill)
  8. “Still Not Dead” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
  9. “God’s Problem Child” (Jamey Johnson / Tony Joe White)
  10. “It Gets Easier” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
  11. “Lady Luck” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
  12. “I Made A Mistake” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
  13. “He Won’t Ever Be Gone” (Gary Nicholson)
“Big Country Music Fan” Chris Pratt Smells Like Tim McGraw

“Big Country Music Fan” Chris Pratt Smells Like Tim McGraw

Posted on May 8, 2017

You never know what’s going to come out of the mouth of actor Chris Pratt—but we do know what he smells like thanks to an amusing anecdote he shared with Seth Meyers.

Chris, who has recently been making the late-night television rounds to promote his Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, stopped by Late Night With Seth Meyers on May 3 and told the host about his first encounter with Tim McGraw—a meeting that took place at the Academy Awards.

“Tim and Faith [Hill], they’re awesome,” said Chris. “I’m a big country music fan and a huge fan of Tim McGraw. I did meet him. I have his cologne, yeah, Southern Blend. It’s really good. If you get a chance, get some. It’s nice. [My wife] Anna [Faris] loves it. And she always knows if I put a little Southern Blend on, she’s going to have to endure some lovemaking.

“We went to the Oscars and it was such an amazing night, star-studded night, and there’s Tim McGraw. And I’m just starstruck, you know, there’s Tim and Faith and I keep glancing at him . . . At the end of the show everyone was filing out . . . I’m looking at Tim McGraw as we’re filing out, I’m getting closer and closer [and thinking] ‘This is my chance to talk to Tim McGraw’ and he catches me staring at him a few times . . . he had performed a song that night. I said, ‘Hey, Tim, that was a great song tonight.’ He’s like, ‘Thank you,’ and he kinda like [thinks] ‘I’m going to avoid you, you might be a weirdo.’ I said, ‘I’m just a huge fan of both you [and Faith]’ and he’s like, ‘Thank you, thank you.’ I said, ‘I’m wearing your cologne,’ and I’m not sure if he was just, like, being polite, but he was like, ‘Ah, thank you.’ And then there was that moment I was like, ‘Oh, no. I’m wearing your cologne? No, no.’ Really gut-wrenching and embarrassing.”

Watch the interview below.

Jake Owen Donates $15,000 to Education Foundation in Florida; Plus, Check Out His New Beachy Video, “Good Company”

Jake Owen Donates $15,000 to Education Foundation in Florida; Plus, Check Out His New Beachy Video, “Good Company”

Posted on May 8, 2017

Vero Beach, Fla., native Jake Owen made his hometown very happy last week by donating $15,000 to the Education Foundation of Indian River County.

The funds from the Jake Owen Foundation will be used to send students to the INTEL International Science & Engineering Fair, expand the STEP Into Kindergarten Program and implement the new Academic Youth Development Program. The $15,000 donation will make a difference for students of all ages: 210 pre-K students will prepare to enter kindergarten through the STEP program; 200 eighth graders will get support as they transition to algebra through the Academic Youth Development Program; and two high school students will represent Vero Beach High School—Jake’s alma mater—at the INTEL International Science & Engineering Fair on May 14 in Los Angeles.

Kudos, Jake, on a job well done.

And since this is a Jake Owen story, check out his new video for “Good Company,” a tune that is currently No. 53 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after two weeks.

 

photo by Jason Simanek

Nashville Native Kelleigh Bannen Talks About Her Fine Irish Name, Hosting Her Own Podcast, New Song/Video, “Church Clothes,” & More

Nashville Native Kelleigh Bannen Talks About Her Fine Irish Name, Hosting Her Own Podcast, New Song/Video, “Church Clothes,” & More

Posted on May 8, 2017

Jim Casey talks with Kelleigh Bannen about her Irish name, her podcast series, This Nashville Life, what it means to be a member of CMT’s Next Women of Country class, her new single, “Church Clothes,” working on new music and more.

Show Participants

  • Kelleigh Bannen
  • Jim Casey, NCD director of editorial

Show Notes & Links

https://youtu.be/TVsQajwqY8w

The Writers Room, Ep. 86, 25 minutes
photos by Jason Simanek

Watch Dan + Shay Surprise Wedding Couple With Impromptu Performance

Watch Dan + Shay Surprise Wedding Couple With Impromptu Performance

Posted on May 8, 2017

The boys from Dan + Shay had a little fun over the weekend by “crashing” a couple’s wedding reception. The surprise performance delighted the bride, Madeline, who claimed she was Dan + Shay’s “biggest fan.” Dan + Shay posted several videos as an Instagram Story of the memorable day.

After singing their No. 1 single, “From the Ground Up,” for the bride and groom’s first dance, Dan + Shay stuck around to perform several more tunes, including a cover of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” and their current single, “How Not To,” among others.

Check out the videos below of Dan + Shay in action.

Photos via Dan + Shay Instagram.

Videos via Mary Beth North’s Facebook and David Meister’s Facebook

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